At least 126 killed after strong earthquake hits China's Tibet
A powerful earthquake has struck a remote region of Tibet, killing at least 126 people and wounding more than 100 others, with tremors felt in Nepal, Bhutan and parts of northern India.
The United States Geological Survey said the earthquake on Tuesday measured 7.1 on the Richter scale, while the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC) recorded a magnitude of 6.8.
The epicentre of the quake was the Shigatse high-altitude county of Dingri, located on the Chinese side of Mount Everest and home to about 62,000 people. Shigatse is the seat of the Panchen Lama, a significant figure in Tibetan Buddhism, whose spiritual authority is second only to the Dalai Lama.
The Xinhua state news agency reported that more than 1,000 houses have been damaged to varying degrees by the quake that shook the region at a depth of about 10km (6 miles) at 9:05am (01:05 GMT).
'Dingri county and its surrounding areas experienced very strong tremors, and many buildings near the epicentre have collapsed,' reported state broadcaster CCTV.
'A total of 126 people have been confirmed dead and 188 others injured as of 7:00pm (11:00 GMT) Tuesday,' Xinhua reported.
Dingri is currently experiencing temperatures of about minus 8 degrees Celsius (17.6 degrees Fahrenheit). The China Meteorological Administration forecast that the mercury will drop to minus 18 degrees Celsius (minus 0.4 degrees Fahrenheit) by Tuesday evening.
The remote Shigatse is far from China's main cities. This, combined with the extreme cold, has hindered rescue efforts, according to Al Jazeera's Katrina Yu, reporting from Beijing.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Qatar Tribune
2 days ago
- Qatar Tribune
China flooding: People missing, bridges collapse
BeijingcTypeface:> Days of heavy rainfall have led to severe flooding in China, triggering damage and reports of missing people. In the south-western province of Guizhou, a highway bridge in Sandu County collapsed following a landslide, state media reported. Footage from the accident site showed a lorry with its front part hanging precariously over the abyss, narrowly avoiding a fall. The driver was reported unharmed. In the vicinity of the accident site, rivers burst their banks. Videos circulating online showed brown floodwaters gushing through a shopping centre in Rongjiang County. Chinese state television called it the area's worst flooding in 30 years. Rescue workers in the north-western province of Gansu were searching for five missing people in Jingyuan County, state media reported. Flash floods had taken people by surprise and left a trail of destruction. Meteorologists have predicted more rain in the coming days in western, central and eastern China. While the south is struggling with an excess of water, many people in the north are suffering from extreme heat. In and around Beijing, as well as parts of north-eastern and western China, temperatures reached highs of up to 39 degrees Celsius, according to the weather authority. (DPA)
Qatar Tribune
19-05-2025
- Qatar Tribune
Rains halt search for gold miners after deadly Indonesian landslide
Agencies Jakarta Torrential rains have forced Indonesian rescuers to suspend their efforts to find 14 missing gold miners after a landslide in the remote east of the country killed six of their colleagues. Officials reported on Monday that the weather and difficult terrain were hindering the search for the workers in Indonesia's easternmost region of Papua. Torrential rain triggered a landslide and floods late on Friday near a small mine run by residents in the Arfak Mountains in West Papua province, Abdul Muhari, a spokesperson for the National Agency for Disaster Management, told the Reuters news agency. The storm swept away temporary shelters used by the miners, killing at least six people and injuring four, he reported. 'The floodwaters from upstream hit a temporary housing area of traditional gold miners at around 9:00 pm (1200 GMT),' Muhari said in a statement. The search to locate the missing miners has been hampered by 'damaged roads and mountainous tracks as well as bad weather,' said Yefri Sabaruddin, the head of a team of 40 rescuers, including police and military officials. He noted that it took 12 hours to travel to the site from the nearest town. Authorities said they plan to resume their search for the missing on Tuesday. Unlicensed mines are common across the mineral-rich Southeast Asian archipelago nation, where abandoned sites attract locals who hunt for leftover gold ore without proper safety equipment. That leaves them open to accidents as operations located in remote areas and in difficult conditions make it hard for the authorities to regulate them. There was no official indication of the mine's legal status. Sabaruddin stressed that the focus is on evacuating victims. Indonesia is prone to landslides during the rainy season, typically from November to April. A landslide caused by heavy rains at an illegal gold mine in West Sumatra in September killed 13 people and injured 12.
Qatar Tribune
18-05-2025
- Qatar Tribune
Indonesian volcano erupts, sends cloud of ash 3,500 metres into sky
JakartacTypeface:> Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki, a volcano in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province, erupted on Sunday, sending a thick column of gray ash approximately 3,500 metres into the air. The eruption, which occurred at 12:46 pm (0546 GMT) on the island of Flores, lasted roughly 56 seconds, according to Indonesia's Geological Agency. The volcano's alert status remains at level 3, the second-highest of four levels, indicating potential danger and ongoing volcanic activity. Authorities banned all activity within a 6-kilometre radius from the volcano's summit. Residents and visitors were urged to remain calm, follow official instructions and avoid spreading misinformation. Communities near rivers that originate from the volcano, including Dulipali, Padang Pasir, Nobo, Nurabelen, Klatanlo, Hokeng Jaya, Boru, and Nawakote, were told to watch for possible volcanic mudflows during heavy rain. (DPA)
